Avian flu: 836 Maha birds found dead, samples sent for tests

Deaths of 836 different birdswere reported on January 16 across Maharashtra and sampleshave been sent for bird flu tests in laboratories in Pune andMadhya Pradesh's Bhopal, officials said on Sunday.

As per an official statement, the deaths include thatof 745 poultry birds, with Nagpur and Amravati districts fromVidarbha region reporting deaths of 290 and 75 poultry birdsrespectively.

In Beed in Marathwada and Gondia in Vidarbha, 50poultry birds each died, the statement said.

It said 32 other birds like herons, sparrows andparrots, as well as 59 crows, including 33 from neighbouringThane, also died in the state on Saturday.

''In Maharashtra, a total of 836 birds have died onJanuary 16 till 7:00pm. The samples are being sent to NationalInstitute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal andDisease Investigation Section, Pune for testing,'' said thestatement.

A total of 5,987 bird deaths have been recorded in thestate since January 8.